Shearing machine



Nov. 6, 1928. 1,690,503

- A. RHoDEs SHEARI NG MACHINE Filed July 22, 1927 Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Alwin Briones,V or CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE BAILBOAD SUPPLY COM-- PANY, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SHEARING MACHINE.

Application filed July 22,

My invention relates to machines for shearing or cut-ting bars or strips of metal, and particularly for shearing bars designed to form tie-plates each havingone or more cross-shoulderson its upper surface against which the flanges of theV railroad rails abut when the plates are placed in track. lPlates of this character are frequently rolled in long strips or bars, each having one or more longitudinal ribs on one of its faces which,iwhen the barsare cut into separate plates by a shearing machine, form the rail-abutting cross-shoulders on the rail-bearing faces of the plates. v In cutting these bars into sections to form tie-plates the reciprocating shearing-blade is located above the line or path of travel of the-bar and operates against a stationary blade upon Which the lower face of the bar. rests. As the shearing blade cuts the bar itsdownward thrust and the weightV of the plate beyond the cut cause the plate to bodily descend more or less, and as the cut progresses the free or leading end of the plate drops and the body of the plate tilts or inclines Vdownwardly at an angle from the normalline of the bar with the result that frequently the inner sides of the plates are cut more or less on an upward bevel instead of on a line vertical with their rail-bearing faces, thus giving one side of the plates a distorted or irregular contour or configuration, as shown for example at a; in Fig. 5. Also as these bars are usually up-side down when punched for the spike-holes in the plates, i. e., withtheir faces which form the rail-seats resting on the stationary lower blade, when they are simultaneously punched and sheared by the same machine the above-mentioned downwardly swingingor tilting movementof the plates as they are sheared frequently causesthe inner end of the longitudinal rib which forms a shoulder on the tie-plate to bulge inwardly toward the rail-seat at the line of severance, with the result that the metal at that end of the rib is inore or less crowded or displaced transversely of the rib and forms a fin or projection on the vertical face of the tie-plate shoulder, as shownfor example at z in Fig. 5, which prevents the rail-flange from seating snugly and properly Vagainst the shoulder when the plates are in track. Both of these objections develop in cold shearing of ,the bars, and are more frequent in hot shear-ing, the distortion of the metal being easier and greater when it is hot.

1927. Serial NO. 207,627.

The object of the present invention is to provide a shear-ing machine with a novable support which is automatically brought to position under the leading end of the bar when a cut is to be made and prevents the plate which is being severed from tilting or swinging downwardly, and then is withdrawn from its operative position upon completion of the cut to allow the severed plate to drop fiatwise on the runway leading away from the machine.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and claimed, and is illustrated in practical embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which the ysame reference numerals indicate the same or similar parts in the various views and Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a portion of a combined punching and' shearing-machine embodying my improvements with the ybarsupport in operative position; Fig. 2 is a similar View with the partsin different positions to show the bar-support withdrawn to its inoperative position; Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation of the same showing details of parts; Fig. 4 is a detail View showing an alternative means for operating the barsupport, and Fig. 5 is a detail view showing a tie-plate having typical distortions or imperfections resulting from the former practice.

In the practice of my invention, the punches l and the movable shear-blade 2 are secured in any suitable manner in the reciprocating head 3 which is supported and guided in the press 4. The lower dies 5 and the stationary shear-blade 6 are supported on the bed-plate of the machine, and a suitable stop 7 is arranged at a predeterrnined point in the path of the bar B being operated onto position its leading end at the desired distance from the shear line according to the length of the plates. These features are of any suitable form now well-known in the art, and so their arrangement, construction and mode of operation for punching spikeholes in a rolled bar or strip B having a longitudinal rib R. and then successively severing the plates P from the bar as the latter is moved step-by-step through the machine need not be described in detail.

The means for periodically supporting the leading end of the bar consists of a movable latch mechanism which is pivotally mounted on the press and operated by the reciprocating head. I'n the exemplification shown the latch consists of a pair of levers 8 pivoted at 9 on the opposite sides of the stop 7 the sides 'of4 the stop 7 and are bent down to engage the outer ends of the le vers Sto-swing them on their pivots and move their lips into and'out of position under the leading end of the bar B as the head descends and ascends respectively `in the cutting operation, the parts being so related and timed in operation that the latch swings up and supports theQ leading end of the bar to prevent the plate. from tilting during the cutting operation as shown for example in F ig. 1, and

then swings down to release the severed plate P and permit it tofall flatwise on the inclined-guide 1-3 as shown in Fig. 2. r1`he operating yoke is adju'stably connected to the levers to swing them more'or less toward the line of the bar to accommodate bars of different lengths and thicknesses; this maybe accomplished by providing the outer ends of the le'Vers with a plurality ofho'les 14 spaced at different distances from their pivots to receive the free ends of the yoke.

VReferring to F ig. 4 the latch lever 8 pivoted at 9 on the stop 7 is operated by'a resilient actuator consisting of a threaded rod 15 pi'votally connected at its lower end to the latch at one of the holes 14 and passing up- 'wardly freely through an operating wing or bracket 16 fixed on the head V3 and having a fiXed nut 17 above the wing and an adjustable nut 18 below it, and a coiled spring 19 between the wing 16 and nut 18. Upon the initial downward movement of the head the wing compresses the 'spring which Vacts on the nut 18 to move the rod 15 downwardly and swing the llatch up into operative position against the bar B; the further descent of the head for the cutting operation vcoinpresses 'the spring, land when the head ascends to its upward position it carries the nut 17l and rod `15 back to their initial positions and rocks 'the latch downward to dischar'ge vthe severed plate. The tension ofthe spring 19 can be adjusted by running the nut 18 up or down orthe rod 15 and locking it in posi- 'tion thereon. IVhile only one latch lever and its operative parts are Vshown in Fig. 4 it is understood that this construction will be Idjiplicated at the other side ofthe stop 7.

rThe latch is `suitably 4`disposed in relationl to the vstop to swing up into position 'under the leading end of the barV when that end is against the stop, and the latch is disposed in relation to the line of the bar to prevent the plates ,from tilting or inclining during the cutting operation. iIn the arrangement shown in F ig. 1, the latch when swung into operativeposition is sufiiciently below the line of the bar to afford a clearance approximately equal to the thickness of the latter, so that as the section ofthe bar being sheared is lmoved bodily downward by itsweight and the'thrust of the reciprocating blade its free end Will 'come to rest on the latch just before the cutis completed, and the sectionV being severed Will be prevented from tilting. In the arrangement shown in F ig`.4, the latch whenswuno" into operative position is in contact with the end of the bar and continued in that relation during the bodily downward movement of the plate. i v v I/Vhile the machine of `3my invention is particularly adapted for shearing tie-plate bars, it can be used for shearing other metal bars to obviate similar-'objections. lThe form and construction of the movable bar-support as' well as the devices to carryt and the connections to reciprocate itinto and out of its operative position 'in synchronism with' the operation of the shearingblade, may be varied Without departing from the scopeof my invention. i 'W I claim: i

l. In a* machine rfor sheari'ng metal bars, the combination ofa reciprocati'ng h'eadfhaving a shear blade, a bar-support mounted on the machine beyondthe leading endiof the bar beingcsheared and movable infto and out of position to engagev and disengage 'said leading end ofthe bar, fan'd connections between said` support and head 'to actuatethesupport I as the blade I1s 'operated. f I

` 2. In am'achine for shearing Ttie-p'late'bars, the combination of a reciprocati'ng head-having a shea'r blade, la bar-support pivoted on the machine beyond the leading yend of the bar being sheared,*movable into fiand out' of position to engage'and disengage saidleading end of theV bar, and connections between :said support and headto actuate `the support as the blade is'operated. i j i V3. In amachi'neffor shearing tie-plate'ba'rs, the combination of a frame havinga reciprocating head ycarrying ay shear blade, a flatc'h p'ivotally carried by the frame beyond the leading end of the bar being sheared and ar'- ranged to engage and'dis'engage saidl leading end of the bar, and an arm carried on ft'he head and connected to the latch 'toswing'the latter into and out of position to engageand disengage the 'leading end 'of thebar when the blade is operated. f z ,f

4. In a machine for shearing tie-plate'bars, the combination of a ffram-e'havin-g a .eating head carrying a 'shear blade, a latch pivotally carried by the frame'beyond the reciproleading end of the bar being sheared and having a downwardly beveled lip arranged to engage and disengage said leading end of the bar, and an arm carried on the head and adjustably connected to the latch to swing the latter into and out of position to engage and disengage the leading end of the bar when the blade is operated.

5. In a machine for shearing tie-plate bars, the combination of a frame having a reciprooating head carrying a shear blade, a stop carried by the frame to engage the leading end of the bar being operated on, a latch pivoted on said stop beyond said leading end of the bar and movable to position thereunder, and an arm carried on the head and connected to the latch to swing the latter into and out of position to engage and disen age the leading end of the bar when the lade is operated.

In testimony Whereof I afiix my signature.

ARVID RHODES. 

